Cost clipping

How to use the Web to save on grocery bills, dining out and more

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- The cost of groceries is on the rise, as is the price of auto fuel that it takes to get to the store. It's enough to turn carefree spenders into coupon clippers. Luckily, the Internet is making it easier for consumers to scope out deals on groceries, restaurant meals and other necessities.

In addition to coupons that can be found on the Web, many store ads are now on the Internet and comparison-shopping Web sites make it easier to assess which stores are offering the best deals. Another breed of site can alert consumers when a recent purchase goes on sale and a price adjustment is in order.

Despite all the online help, it still takes some time to surf around for the best prices and plan purchases based on the best sales. But a growing number of people are willing to do that extra work, judging from the increased traffic experienced by many shopping sites over recent months.

According to Hitwise, an online measurement firm, visits to coupon Web sites increased 56% for the week ending June 6, compared with the same week in 2007. Coupons.com, CouponMountain.com and Eversave.com were some of the most popular coupon destinations.

CouponMom.com, which tracks store sales and pairs them with available coupons to bring the price down even more, has already seen traffic more than double in 2008 compared with last year, according to Stephanie Nelson, the Coupon Mom herself.

"We've never experienced this degree of traffic growth," she said. "More and more people are saying they have to have a handle on this... it's time to buckle down."

Here are just a few of the Web sites that will get shoppers started down the path of increased savings at the grocery store and beyond:

Saving on groceries

To cut down on grocery costs, Nelson combines recent coupons found online, as well as those that come in newspapers, and pairs them with deals found in the stores' ad papers. The information is consolidated on lists at the free site, saving cost-conscious shoppers some time. Visit CouponMom.com.

Printable coupon sites include Coupons.com and SmartSource.com, but those online coupons still represent a fraction of the total coupons available for shoppers to use at the grocery store, she said. (SmartSource.com is a unit of News Corp., which also owns MarketWatch, the publisher of this report). Visit Coupons.com.Visit SmartSource.com.

"You still have to buy the paper -- 80% of the savings are there," Nelson said.

Oftentimes, "page one" deals on the front of a store's weekly flyer offer the best savings, said Paul Davis, CEO of MyGroceryDeals.com, a site that helps customers compare sales between stores in their area. If it's an item that will keep in the freezer or the pantry, savvy shoppers often stock up when the deals hit. Visit MyGroceryDeals.com.

It also helps to be flexible with brands, but even brand-loyal customers have avenues to save. Check out the manufacturer's Web site for coupons and sign up for mailing lists, suggested Kim Danger, family savings expert for Coupons.com and creator of Mommysavers.com. She recommends setting up an email account specifically for the purpose of collecting these deals. Visit Mommysavers.com.

Her site also has a forum to direct visitors to free samples offered by manufacturers; those who receive samples often get put on a mailing list for future coupons, she said. Danger's Facebook page also helps site users stay updated on the newest deals.

Saving on restaurants and entertainment

Don't restrict food savings to the grocery aisles. Coupon sites often offer deals for fast-food options, and a quick Internet search on a favorite casual dining restaurant can yield money-saving coupons. T.G.I. Friday's, for example, offers a free appetizer or dessert if customers sign up for its free "Give Me More Stripes" program at Fridays.com.

Even better deals can be found at Restaurant.com, which sells $25 gift certificates for $10. Enter the site through a link on CouponMom.com, and the price goes down more -- currently, the $25 gift certificate can be bought for $6 through the CouponMom site. Visit Restaurant.com.

The middle of the year is also a good time to buy Entertainment Publications' book of coupons for restaurants, stores and attractions, Nelson said.

Instead of paying full price for the 2008 book at Entertainment.com, you can buy it for $9.99, plus shipping, this time of year. Most of the coupons are only good through Nov. 1, the site notes. Before buying, preview the coupons at the site to make sure that you'll use them and it's worth your investment.

Customers also currently have the option of getting the 2008 book for only the $4.99 shipping and handling charge if they sign up now to be sent the 2009 volume. Visit Entertainment.com.

Saving on retail goods

For goods from electronics to clothing, comparison shopping sites are useful to scope out the best prices.

"Especially in recessionary times like this, more and more consumers are stretching their dollars by shopping online and doing their research," said Michael Yang, founder of Become.com, a shopping-research Web site. Yang also co-founded MySimon.com, one of the Web's early shopping comparison sites. Visit Become.com.

But beware, Yang said: Some shopping sites don't screen the merchants that come up in a search, so if you're buying online make sure you're dealing with a reputable company. Also, especially for electronics, make sure you're comparing the same model from store to store, he added. And don't forget to add in shipping costs if the purchase is completed online and not in a store, added Danger.

Comparison sites, however, are only one component of getting the best deal when buying online, said Guy King, co-founder of RetailMeNot.com. A second tip for bringing the price down is by tracking down electronic coupon codes for online purchases.

That's where his site comes in. RetailMeNot.com lists coupon codes found from around the Web. Codes can also be found on sites including include CouponMountain.com and CouponCabin.com. General search engines can also be helpful in tracking down a coupon code for a specific online retailer. Visit RetailMeNot.com.Visit CouponMountain.com.Visit CouponCabin.com.

But don't stop saving at the point of sale. King also recommends sites that watch out for a price cut on the item you've just purchased, since some stores will refund the difference if the price drops within a set number of days, he said.

"With the new services that are popping up, there's almost zero effort to keep an eye on it," he said, referring to the price of an item.

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